Irradiated Food: Safe or Hazardous

Food irradiation is nothing new, in fact, it has been around for almost a century. Food irradiation is done by exposing food to ionizing radiation. The safety of the food depends on the dose of radiation. Low dose of radiation, less than 1 kGy (kiloGray), is probably safe for the most part. Depending on the density of the food, it may change or damage the food slightly. Foods that are treated with low dose radiation, include wheat, potatoes, fruits, vegetables and pork. Medium dose (1-10 kGy) to high dose (11-45 kGy) is where things start to get questionable. Foods that are treated with medium to high dose of radiation, include meat, poultry, seeds, herbs, spices and pet food.

Three good things about using ionizing radiation to sterilize food is that it increases the shelf life of the food, and destroys most harmful microorganisms and insects. The bad things are that it can change the chemical structures of the food and destroy many of its nutrients. The change in the food’s chemical structures may cause side effects because your body may have bad reactions to the strange altered molecules. Irradiation is not as effective as they claimed. The process doesn’t guarantee that all microorganisms and insects are eliminated from the food. Some food companies that use irradiation don’t have good hygienic practices because they know their food is going to be treated with radiation. Another problem with irradiation is the risk of contamination. There had been a few accident that involved radioactive waste leaking or being poured down drains, which contaminated local sewer system.

Many people think that because the FDA approves the use of food irradiation, it should be okay. This is not always true. The FDA is highly influenced by food companies and their lobbyists. They are the reason why the FDA is still running. Currently, there are about 40 countries that are using irradiation to sterilize their food. Because of overpopulation and food shortage problems, the amounts of irradiated food may rise in the near future.

I suggest avoiding irradiated food as much as possible because ionizing radiation can affect the chemical structure of the food and its nutrients. If the radiation is strong enough to kill bacteria, it is probably strong enough to cause permanent damage to chemical structures of food.

How to avoid irradiated food:

• Look for the Radura logo (the logo on the top left of this post).
• Look for the content “treated with radiation” or treated by irradiation.”
• Look for misleading labels, such as “electronically pasteurized” and “cold pasteurized.”
• Buy food at stores that specialize in whole food.
• Buy fruits and vegetables at local farmer’s markets.

Food irradiation FAQs:

• Does irradiation make food radioactive? During the process, the food never touches the radioactive substances and the irradiator is not strong enough to disintegrate food molecules. The answer is no.
• Why is food irradiated? Food is irradiated to kill microorganisms and extend its shelf life. This is an alternative to chemicals.
• Is irradiated food safe? Low dose of ionizing radiation is mostly safe but medium to high dose can damage chemical structures and nutrients in the food.
• Does eating irradiated food have long-term health effects? There had been a few studies made by the FDA saying that irradiated food is general safe. Because the FDA is highly influenced by food companies, I wouldn’t take their advice too seriously.
• How can I tell if a food is irradiated or not? Foods that are treated with radiation are usually marked “treated with radiation,” “treated by radiation” or have the Radura logo.

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